Letters by Giorgio de Chirico to Léonce Rosenberg - Fondazione ...

637
LETTERS BY GIORGIO DE CHIRICO
TO LÉONCE ROSENBERG, 1925 1
1. Postcard (January 12, 1925)
Rome
Dear Monsieur Rosenberg,
I am about to have the exhibition catalogue printed but I think that it will be sufficient to print only
1000 : thus I will avoid unnecessary expenses ; I would like to hear your view on the subject all the
same. I would also like to know if you will be disposed to publish some photos of my paintings in
your review before the opening of the exhibition.
I am working a great deal and I hope to have great success in Paris.
I send you my best wishes and also to Mlle Rosenberg, yours sincerely G. de Chirico.
All the best from my brother.
2. Postcard
Rome, January 26, 1925
Dear Monsieur Rosenberg,
Today I sent you 4 photos for your review: the titles are written on the back ; I hope that I am not
too late; the paintings that I send you in the photos are amongst my most recent. I am working a
great deal. Please be kind enough to let me know if receiving the catalogue-invitation by 15 th April is
sufficient.
All the best from my brother as well.
I remain yours sincerely
G. de Chirico
via Appennini 25B
1
This correspondence is kept at Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, Bibliothèque Kandinsky, Centre du Documentation et de Recherche du Musée
National d’Art Moderne, Fond Léonce Rosenberg, Box 10 and 11. Original letters transcribed by Michele Tavola
METAFISICA 2008|N° 7-8

638
LETTERS BY GIORGIO DE CHIRICO TO LÉONCE ROSENBERG, 1925
3. Undated letter [1925]
Dear M. Rosenberg,
Here is the text for the catalogue. If it is possible, please reply to me by return of post. I have had
the review and I thank you.
Yours G. de Chirico
Via Appennini 25B
4. Undated letter [1925]
Rome Saturday
Dear Monsieur Rosenberg,
Here is the photo and the customs papers. With regard to the paintings which you would like to
keep on deposit, I would like to tell you that you may keep what you would like that belongs to me
and that is to say: Les tragédiens d’Eschyle, the painting which Doucet would like to buy and also if
you would like the others that are on the left upon entering. But the large landscape with the houses
and the painting which I brought to you the day of my departure, just like all the others, I would
kindly ask you to pack them up and M. Castelfranco will write to you shortly to tell you if the courier
should send them directly to Florence or elsewhere. It would be very kind of you to send the two
letters enclosed here to their recipients given that I have forgotten their addresses. You will soon
receive the photos of my last paintings. I have gone back to work with determination. I am very
happy to have met you. The interest which you have shown me, your intelligence, your gentilhommerie
have been greatly encouraging. It would be very kind of you to send your boy to collect 3
small sketches which are at the house of M. Pierre Roy, 16 rue des S.ts Perès and to pack them up
with the other paintings without which they will make me pay at customs.
All my best to your daughters. My brother has asked me to pass on his best wishes and remember
that I am yours sincerely.
G. de Chirico
Via Appennini 25B
METAFISICA 2008|N° 7-8

LETTERS BY GIORGIO DE CHIRICO TO LÉONCE ROSENBERG, 1925
639
5. Letter
Rome, 1 June [1925]
Dear Monsieur Rosenberg,
Thanks for your kind letter. Here are 2 signed receipts. It would be very kind of you to send me the
3,000 francs (less the expenses and debts) and if you could also settle the 2 paintings bought by you,
you would be doing me a great favour because at the moment I have no gold. Next week you will
have the photos of my new things. I am very inspired at the moment and I hope to have a summer
of fruitful work.
Thank you.
Yours very sincerely, G. de Chirico
Via Appennini 25B
I hope that M. Castelfranco has written to you about sending the paintings.
6. Postcard (June 3, 1925)
Dear Monsieur Rosenberg,
With painting 17 (Metafisica interiore) I forgot to tell you that it belongs to M. Paul Eluard who loaned
it to me for the exhibition. I hope my telegram arrived in time 2 and that you have been able to take
it out of the crate. I kindly ask you to excuse this misunderstanding. It is regrettable that M. Barnes
has thought of this painting. Would you like to tell him that I have 3 others from the same period
and same genre and would you like to take care of the business I am very pleased about the sale
of Tragediens. Thank you and I remain yours sincerely G. de Chirico
I have telegraphed M. Castelfranco
2
Rome, Telegram to Léonce Rosenberg: “Paris - Please give painting 17 Eluard, Chirico, Stamp 2-6-25” (9600.163).
METAFISICA 2008|N° 7-8

640
LETTERS BY GIORGIO DE CHIRICO TO LÉONCE ROSENBERG, 1925
7. Postcard
Rome, 14 June [1925]
Dear Monsieur Rosenberg,
I have received the cheque for 1,000 francs and I would like to thank you. If you could settle the rest
and the amount for Tragédiens d’Eschyle you would be doing me a very great favour. I have been a
little busy recently with things other than painting; but I will send you some photos from here in a few
days. Has Raynal not written Whether he liked or disliked my painting would not be that important to
me but I would be very sorry if he were offended by the fact that I was not there that Friday.
At the Modernissima bookshop they told me that they cannot accept the conditions for sales that
you proposed to them. But do as follows: send 3 or four examples of each number at the end of the
month. I will deal with it and I promise you that they will send back the unsold examples. Should I
send photos of the paintings for M. Barnes
Yours G. de Chirico
8. Postcard (June 22, 1925)
Dear Monsieur Rosenberg,
I have received the second cheque for 1,000 francs and I would like to thank you. You will have the
photos of the painting from here in 10 days, without fail. It is impossible for me [to do this] beforehand.
I will also send the ones for M. Barnes. I would now kindly like to ask you to do me a favour:
please be kind enough to send me the review issue in which there is an article about me to this address:
Madame Lork
c/a Madame Obolensky
Kurfürstendam 157-158
Berlin
Many thanks and I remain yours sincerely,
G. de Chirico
METAFISICA 2008|N° 7-8

LETTERS BY GIORGIO DE CHIRICO TO LÉONCE ROSENBERG, 1925
641
9. Letter (July 4 [1925])
Dear Monsieur Rosenberg.
Here are 6 photos of my latest paintings; I have forgotten the measurements [so] I will write them
for you this afternoon.
As I have to leave Rome for a fortnight, I would be very grateful if you would send a cheque for
1,000 francs made out to my mother Mme Gemma de Chirico. Via Appennini 25B.
I kindly ask you, dear M. Rosenberg, if the buyer of Tragédiens has still not paid, to advance [these]
1,000 fr on credit to my mother. Yours very sincerely.
Thank you
G. de Chirico
10. Postcard (July 8, 1925)
Dear Monsieur Rosenberg
Here are the measurements of the paintings:
Achille: 1[00] x 75
Source: 91 x 55
Fruits du poète: 60 x 76
Group d’athlètes: 78 x 60
Femme romain: 68 x 86
Après-midi d’été: 55 x 71
On the 19 th of this month I will be in Rome. I would ask you to kindly send the 1,000 francs to my
mother. I hope that you will like the paintings.
I remain yours sincerely,
G. de Chirico
Will I have the pleasure of seeing you in August
METAFISICA 2008|N° 7-8

642
LETTERS BY GIORGIO DE CHIRICO TO LÉONCE ROSENBERG, 1925
11. Postcard
Rome, 25 July [1925]
Dear M. Rosenberg,
I have received the 3 cheques of:
1 st 1.000 fr.
2 nd 1.000 fr.
3 rd 750 fr.
making 2.750 fr.
And I thank you. I hope to see you in Rome in August. I will be sending you the 3 chosen paintings.
Yours G. de Chirico
12. Letter
Rome, 1 August [1925]
Dear M. Rosenberg,
Thank you for your kind letter; until now I have received 3 cheques, two for one thousand francs
and one for 750.
I have sent the 3 paintings that you chose at the M.on Chenne. I hope to see you in Rome in any case
we will see each other in Paris because I have decided to come in the autumn to establish myself there.
I am pleased that business is going well. I am working a great deal at the moment and am very
inspired.
But I cannot wait to leave Italy.
Yours sincerely
G. de Chirico
All the best from my brother.
Via Appennini 25B
METAFISICA 2008|N° 7-8

LETTERS BY GIORGIO DE CHIRICO TO LÉONCE ROSENBERG, 1925
643
13. Postcard
Rome, 8 September [1925]
Dear Monsieur Rosenberg,
I am sorry that you did not come to Rome. But we will see each soon as towards the end of October
I will be in Paris were I intend to settle. I hope that you have received the 3 canvases, and I would
be very grateful if, in addition to the prices of the canvases the rest that you said you owed me, you
would send me a cheque [for] 1,000 fr. I have not sent you any more photos because, given that I
will soon be in Paris, I will bring my paintings with me.
I remain yours sincerely G. de Chirico
All the best from my brother.
14. Postcard (September 11, 1925)
Dear Monsieur Rosenberg,
It is agreed that for the 3 paintings that I sent you, you would send me 800 fr. I have already written
to you about this asking you to add the rest of this to my credit making a cash sum of 1,000 fr. I have
received the 1,000 fr. You did not tell me how you found my paintings. I await your news and I send
you my best wishes.
Yours G. de Chirico
Rome 11 September
Via Appennini 25B
METAFISICA 2008|N° 7-8

644
LETTERS BY GIORGIO DE CHIRICO TO LÉONCE ROSENBERG, 1925
15. Postcard
Rome, 23 September [1925]
Dear Monsieur Rosenberg,
I have received the 1,000 fr and I thank you. Around the 1 st October I will send a crate containing
about 20 paintings to Paris; would it put you out if I addressed the crate to you or to your courier.
The crate will of course travel at my expense. I myself intend to come to Paris towards the end of
October.
All the best from my brother and I remain yours sincerely.
G. de Chirico
Via Appennini 25B
16. Postcard (October 13, 1925)
Dear Monsieur Rosenberg,
Many thanks for your good letters which are a great encouragement to me. I assure you that you are
the man who has most encouraged me so far. Please excuse the tone of declaration [but] I will also
show my gratitude when I am in Paris by doing a large good portrait of you, or a member of your
family if you prefer and I would like you to accept it as a gift.
I intend to be in Paris around 15 th November. My mother and my brother send their best wishes. Dear
Monsieur Rosenberg, please accept my devotion, esteem and gratitude.
Yours G. de Chirico
Via Appennini 25B
Translated by Rosamund King
METAFISICA 2008|N° 7-8